Posts Tagged ‘mommy blogger’

After living on the East Coast where the kids could have snowball fights in the front yard and to go sledding all we had to do was cross the street, we moved to Southern California.  The kids miss the snow.  Can’t say that I blame them, sometimes I miss a good Snow Day too.

Last year we discovered that there is a place, right here in San Diego County, where we could get our winter fix.  Complete with snow, sledding, and hot chocolate and pie.

Julian, Ca is know for their famous pies but what we love about it is that it’s only about an hour away, off highway 78,  and often snows during the winter.

The kids and I took a trip up there yesterday but unfortunately the couple inches they had gotten the day before had melted away except for the parking lot snow piles. We weren’t able to do any sledding but still enjoyed stomping around in puddles.

When the snow does stick, it is a great winter day trip!

(photos below from Feb. 2011)

A great place to take those snow saucers is Jess Martin County Park, located about 1/2 mile south of town on highway 79.  There is a perfect hill on the back side of the park that is public.

And when your done with you snowball fights check out Julian Pie Company on Main Street for some delicious pies and hot chocolate!

I made these on a whim after wandering the Dollar Tree looking for some cheap crafting inspiration.  My total cost for supplies ended up being $2.16!  The votive candles came in a two-pack and the conversation hearts candies were 4 box-packs.  All I needed was a hot glue gun and about 10 minutes to finish the project.

I just may be as excited as my 3 year old, who has been asking every morning since Thanksgiving “Is it Christmas?”.  The tree is up, the house is decorated…I LOVE this time of year! 

I have decided to bring you 25 days of Christmas, through Tutus and Tantrums.  Each day I will have something new up relating to the Holiday season.  Plenty of recipes, crafts, and decorating ideas.  I may even have a guest blog or two! 

I hope you’ll join me!

Welcome to the second week of What’s For Dinner, Wednesday where I’m sharing a new recipe each Wednesday.  This recipe is from Pillsbury and is a great variation of Lasagna.  The best part, you refrigerate it overnight.  Make it the day before you know you’ll be busy and at dinner time all you have to do is pop it in the oven.

• 1 tablespoon butter
• lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped red bell pepper (2 med)
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup choped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 pint half and half
• 1/2 cup Progresso chicken broth
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 7 oz Gouda cheese shredded (I used a mixture of mozarella and colby-jack because i forgot to get the Gouda)
• 1 container (12 oz) small curd cottage cheese (again, I substituted and used ricotta)
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves cut into thin strips
• 1 egg, beaten
• 9 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 package (16 oz) sliced mozarella (I just used shredded)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese

1. 1.  Spray 13 X 9 inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.  In 4 quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add chicken; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in bell pepper, celery, onion, and garlic; cook about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center.
2. Reduce heat to low.  Add half and half, broth and cream cheese; cook and stir until cream cheese is melted.  Gradually add Couda cheese, stirring until cheese is melted.  Remove from heat; set aside.  In bowl, mix cottage cheese (or Ricotta like I did) 1/4 cup fresh basil and the egg until blended.
3. Spread 1 cup chicken mixture in baking dish.  Top with 3 noodles, 1 1/2 cups chicken mixture, 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture and 1/2 of the mozarella cheese.  Repeat layers once, starting with noodles.  Top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining chicken mixture.  Sprinkle with Parmesean cheese. Cover with foil; refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
4. Heat oven to 350.  Bake lasagna covered for 45 minutes.  Uncover; bake 30-35 minutes longer or until noodles are tender and casserole is bubbly.  Cover; let stand 15 minutes before serving. 

This recipe is a bit of work to prep so you have to plan ahead.  Hope your family enjoys it as much as mine did! 

And Please feel free to leave a link to your favorite recipes in the comment section!

Celebrate all that your child is Thankful for with this cute and easy handprint craft.

You will need:

• White Paper (thicker paper or cardstock is better)
• Brown Paint
• Red, Yellow, Orange Construction Paper
• Scissors
• Glue Stick

Start by painting the inside of the child’s arm and palm with brown paint.  Press onto the white paper to form the tree trunk and branches.  Let dry.

Cut leaf shapes out of the consturction paper.  If child is old enough have them write things they are thankful for on the leaves.  I also did this project with my 1 and 3 year olds.  The 3 year old dictated to me and I wrote for him and the 1 year old’s tree has blank leaves.

Have child glue their leaves onto the tree branches.

Frame and display for the Thankful Season!

If you’re like me, you’re always looking for something new to spice up your “go to” dinners during the week.  I often find myself making the same dishes over and over again.  Even though I have a plethera of delicious looking recipes in a file folder that I have taken out of various magazines.  So, over the last month I’ve made it a point to start trying some of these recipes, and let me tell you, they’re delicious!

I’ve had several friends request that I share them so I will start posting a new recipe that I’ve recently tried, every Wednesday.  Starting with Chicken, Wild Rice, and Mushroom soup that EVERY ONE in my family ate and asked for seconds!

Chicken, Wild Rice, and Mushroom Soup: (from Southern Living Magazine March 2011)

• 2 (6 oz. ) packages long-grain wild rice mix~ (I didn’t read this correctly and only bought 1 so I added about 3/4 c white rice)
• 10 cups chicken broth, divided
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (I used 8oz package sliced baby bell mushrooms)
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery (oops! I didn’t have any so I just made it with out)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup half and half (surprise, surprise I didn’t have this eaither so I just used milk)
• 2 Tbsp dry white wine
• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast

1. Bring rice, 4 cups chicken broth, and 1 seasoning packet fromt he rice mix to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. 
2. Meanwhile, melt 3 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add mushrooms, onion and celery, and cook, stirring often, 10-12 minutes or until tender.
3. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat (I just used a saucepan); whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute, or until thickened and bubbly.  Gradually whisk in remaining 6 cups broth, and cook, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Whisk in half and half and wine.  Stir in mushroom mixture, chicken, and rice.  Cook, stirring occasionaly, 5 to 10 minutes or until throroughly heated (do not boil.)

Hope your family enjoys this one as much as mine did!  And please, feel free to link up any of your recipes below! 

 Be sure to come back next week to check out What’s For Dinner?  Wednesday.

Yes, this mom of three, who hasn’t thought about herself before anyone in a LONG time, is celebrating her very own day.  ME!  MOI!  MINE MINE MINE MINE MINE! (okay, I’ll stop now)

Yes, it is MY day.  My day to be featured by one of THE most fabulous group devoted to female bloggers.  It’s my SITS day! 

What you ask?  SITS!  The Secret is in Support!  A group of THOUSANDS of femail bloggers all supporting one another.  How awesome is that?!  Now…GO CHECK THEM OUT!

AND, for all of you that have come on over to visit little ol’ me from SITS, I am truly honored! 

I began blogging over two years ago (yikes! where does time go?) and almost simultaniously found The SITS girls.  They really opened my eyes to the world of blogging and gave me the confidence to continue writing and sharing my experiences.  Needless to say, I was so surprise and super excited when I finally got the email saying that it was my turn!

WELCOME!  and thank you for coming over to check out my little piece of the World Wide Web…I hope you’re wearing your Tutu!

A Halloween decoration that is super easy to make and under $10?

Yes! This centerpiece took about 10 min. to put together. You do have to wait for the paint to dry but that didn’t take very long either.

You will need:

1. Tree branches (free!  I cut some from the tree in my front yard)
2. black spray paint ($2.99 I bought a small ‘short cuts’ can)
3. Glittered paint ($1.99)
4. Cylinder Vase($1 from The Dollar Tree)
5. Bag of Candy Corn (about $2)

To make:

Cut the tree branches and arrange in the vase to make sure you like how they look.  Trim them as necessary.

Arrange the branches on old newspaper, OUTSIDE.  Spray them with the black spray paint.

When spray paint is dry, brush on the glitter paint using  a sponge brush.  When the branches are dry arrange them in the vase and pour in the candy corn.

Last week the P’s and I attended a private lunch with the SDMOMfia at the new Souplantation Express, to try out the menu.  The Souplantation Express opened on January 17th and is located in Bressi Ranch at 2681 Gateway Rd., Carlsbad, Ca.  The restaurant offers the same fresh fare as a traditional Souplantation but fast!  As a mommy of three this is where they hooked me…Fast, Fresh, Food!  Does it get any better?

The Souplantaion Express offers a variety of prepared signature salads and soups but you may also build your own salad choosing from an array of fresh ingredients.  They also offer kids meals that are a great healthy alternative to most restaurants and fast food places.  The kids meal includes any five items and it doesn’t have to be salad.  P1 had some of the wonton salad and also chose edamame, mushrooms, and mandarin oranges with a small cup of macaroni and cheese on the side.  P2, who won’t go near a salad or anything healthy, loved his lunch of grapes, edamame, mandarin oranges, and dried cranberries.  Of course he had the macaroni and cheese also (which, by the way, is not something out of a box)!  I enjoyed the Wonton Salad, one of their prepared signature salads and added grilled chicken, mandarin oranges, and edamame. 

You can order to go or there is seating inside.  But with the wonderful Southern California weather you will probably choose to eat on the patio!